Minija (Mingė) Village

Imagine being in a place where, to have a fragrant morning coffee with your neighbour, you have to cross to the other bank of the river by boat, like a gondolier. In the Šilutė region this is possible – in the village of Minija, often called the Lithuanian Venice, where a river takes the place of the main street. This urban heritage site has been mentioned in sources since 1540, and although it constantly changed over half a millennium because of plague and war, it has survived to this day as a unique place where residents on opposite banks can only reach each other by water – there is no bridge here. Minija village attracts visitors from all corners of Lithuania and from abroad not only because of its unique way of getting around, but also because of its wonderful nature and fine German architecture. Visitors can see brick and wooden buildings typical of Lithuania Minor, with their main facades facing the river, and every house has a landing stage for boats. For many centuries the main livelihood of Minija's residents was fishing; they fished in the richest fishing grounds of the Curonian Lagoon, and in winter some villagers fished through the ice or cut trees in the frozen marshes and harvested reeds in Kniaupas Bay. Reeds from the shores of the Curonian Lagoon were a popular commodity throughout East Prussia, so cutting and selling reeds was a profitable business at the time. Today, in Minija village – a true natural wonder – residents are rapidly developing water and rural tourism, and if you want to stay, you will find several rural tourism homesteads. For nature lovers longing for a break, Minija village is a wonderful place to stay, with plenty to do not only for anglers and sailors but also for those who want to go boating, try water-skiing or simply spend some quiet time in a unique natural spot. Seeing is believing – such natural beauty is impossible to describe; you simply have to see it.